Judge denies West Boca mom probation break

Loretta Wilson doesn't need monthly visits to her probation officer as reminders of her 2009 crime of leaving her SUV running in her West Boca garage, spreading toxic carbon monoxide fumes that killed her daughter and her daughter's friend, attorney Doug Duncan said Thursday.

"She lives with it every day," Duncan said of the tragic deaths of Amber Wilson, 11, and Caitlin Brondolo, 12, who were sixth-graders at Loggers Run Middle School.

But Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Stephen Rapp denied Wilson's request to stop the regular check-ins during the remainder of her five-year probation term. The sentence began in December 2009 after Wilson, now 49, pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter by culpable negligence.

Wilson's attorney submitted the request Jan. 31, describing her as a "model probationer" who now needs to travel frequently for her job.

The State Attorney's Office agreed with the proposed change, and Brondolo's parents, Jill and Chris, also didn't object, said prosecutor Andrew Slater.

"They wanted to approach this matter from the perspective of forgiveness," Slater said of the Brondolos' wishes.

But Kenneth Wilson, Loretta's ex-husband and Amber's father, opposed the request and testified at Thursday's hearing by telephone because he lives outside the state.

Kenneth Wilson's attorney, Jack Seiler of Fort Lauderdale, said his client is pursuing a wrongful death civil lawsuit against his ex-wife.

"Mr. Wilson has never gotten over the loss of his child and he never will," Seiler said. "It's a tragic situation."

According to an arrest report, Amber told her mother the engine of her 2006 Ford Escape was running in their enclosed garage when they got out of the SUV and walked inside their home in the Loggers Run community west of Boca Raton, after a shopping trip on May 30, 2009.

But Wilson dismissed her daughter's concerns and said it was just the hum of the car's cooling fans. Wilson woke up the next day, suffering from the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning, to find the girls' lifeless bodies, records show. The Medical Examiner's Office determined Amber and Caitlin died from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Mechanics also tested the SUV and said they found no apparent defects and that the fan did not run when the ignition was shut off. The car was "in good condition and the vehicle was operating as it was designed," according to the arrest report.

Along with the probation, Wilson's sentence also required a psychological evaluation, a meeting with the Brondolos, and service as a spokesperson to raise awareness of carbon monoxide poisoning, including talks with civic groups and schools using her experience as an example.

Wilson fulfilled those conditions, Duncan and Slater said. There was only the question of having to report to about two years more of meetings at a Delray Beach probation office.

"Ms. Wilson punishes herself daily and will never forget what happened regardless of whether she reports once a month," Duncan said. "She doesn't need that extra reminder."